MLB Player News

McCutchen will bat third for the Pirates this season, MLB.com's Adam Berry reports.

While the Pirates have understandably cooled on McCutchen's outfield defense, they will still rely on him to serve as a run producer in the three hole this season. He hit .268/.349/.450 with 15 home runs and five steals (on nine attempts) over 395 plate appearances in that spot in the lineup last season.

Miller spent the offseason preparing to play shortstop despite strong indications he'll be deployed elsewhere in 2017, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. "My thing is I know it's a long season and a lot can transpire," Miller said. "We've discussed a lot of different things. I'm focused on getting us back to playing winning baseball. So I'm coming to camp ready to work. A lot of it is just talk so far, so I'm excited to get back to actually playing."

Conventional wisdom dictates a move to second base for Miller in the coming season, given Matt Duffy's likely deployment at shortstop. However, that didn't stop Miller from still putting in his offseason preparation at the position he'd held throughout his three-plus major league seasons before Duffy's Rays debut on Aug. 12. Miller emphasized that he and the Rays are "on the same page" with respect to 2017, but he deemed it prudent to keep his shortstop skills sharp this offseason as a contingency plan. Regardless of where he finds himself in the infield, Miller's bat will be heavily counted on again after a breakout 2016 campaign that saw him tally career highs in homers (30), RBI (81), slugging (.482) and OPS (.786).

Goins appears destined to be designated for assignment as the Jays are committed to Darwin Barney retaining the top reserve role, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.

Goins sealed his fate with an awful 2016, a season in which he began as the Jays' starting second baseman in place of the injured Devon Travis. After hitting .179/.216/.308 prior to the All-Star break, Goins had lost his role on the team and was eventually sent to the minors. Now out of options, the 28-year-old is expected to be up for grabs on the free agent market by the end of spring. This may not be a bad thing for Goins from a fantasy perspective, as he certainly has the glove to find a routine role on the right MLB team. His value for the 2017 season will hinge on whether a new team decides to sign and play him.

Cabrera acknowledged that his right ankle bothered him for much of the 2016 stretch run, but he feels healthy now, MLB.com reports.

Cabrera did not have a stint on the disabled list or an offseason surgery in 2016 -- the first time he's avoided either since 2012. The star slugger is turning 34 in April, but after posting 38 home runs, 108 RBI and a .956 OPS last season, there's no reason to think that Cabrera is slowing down. He's still an elite fantasy option.

Carpenter will play for Team USA in this year's WBC, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.

Carpenter, who's slated to move to first base this coming season, is coming off a 2016 campaign during which he slashed .271/.380/.505 with 36 doubles, six triples, 21 homers and 68 RBI. He'll be a part of a loaded Team USA roster that includes Nolan Arenado, Brandon Crawford, Paul Goldschmidt, Daniel Murphy and Giancarlo Stanton.

Stanton will play for Team USA in the WBC, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

He'll join the Orioles' Adam Jones and the Pirates' Andrew McCutchen in the starting outfield for Team USA, while his Marlins teammates Christian Yelich and A.J. Ellis will also be on the bench for the squad. Stanton is coming off the worst season of his career, as various injuries limited him to 119 games with a career-low .240 batting average and .815 OPS, and his inability to stay off the DL has so far prevented the 27-year-old from becoming the fantasy superstar his elite power would suggest he could be.

Cabrera will once again represent Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, as he's done in all three previous editions of the tournament.

Cabrera is Venezuela's leader, and his five career World Baseball Classic home runs are tied for the second most all-time in the tournament. It probably goes without saying, but Cabrera will be expected to carry a big load offensively for Venezuela.

McCutchen is on the USA roster for the World Baseball Classic, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

He will be joined in the outfield by Adam Jones, Christian Yelich, and Giancarlo Stanton. After the Pirates announced he will move to the corner outfield in 2017, it will be interesting to see where manager Jim Leyland plays McCutchen during the WBC.

The Cubs are working with Jimenez to be a bit more patient and use all fields at the plate, CSN Chicago reports.

Jimenez, who had a brilliant 2016 season and is considered the Cubs' top prospect, is just 20 years old and still a few years away from the majors, but the organization considers him advanced for his age. "He is someone who doesn't swing and miss much for (his age)," said Jason McLeod, the Cubs' Senior Vice President of Player Development and Amateur Scouting. "Just tremendous strength to drive balls to the middle of the field, probably makes a little too much contact early in counts. I think that's where we are with him and his development path right now, just understanding what pitchers are trying to do to him. (It's) understanding that he can hit balls 420 feet to right field as well as hitting them 480 to left field."

Brantley (shoulder) is at the "end stages" of his tee work, according to team president Chris Antonetti, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Slowly but surely, Brantley has increased the volume and intensity of his swings off the tee. He seems to be on the verge of taking the next step in his hitting progression, which will presumably be coach-pitch, soft-toss batting practice. The shoulder issues limited Brantley to just 11 games last year and the lost season has driven his cost down considerably, but his price figures to tick up if he looks healthy in spring training.